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hello ipdglasspolishing - always good to see a recommendation based on personal experience, which you seem to be guaranteeing does work. Having spent a lot of time over the past year or so trying to refine my own methods of cleaning, polishing and removing scratches, I know ony too well the trials and tribulations. However, knowing how difficult and time consuming some of the methods can be, I would have thought it almost impossible to achieve much success without mechanical means (i.e. power assisted methods) - and a few minutes in front of the 10 o'clock news seems a very tall order. Since this method is quoted as being based on ancient methods, then presumably materials like tin oxide, carborundum etc. are not involved, and instead the powders are possibly pumice, Fullers Earth, and maybe even talc. But what really intrigues me is the comment that "these powders can be used over and over again". I must have really missed something here, because I go through a fair amount of tin oxide and cerium oxide - almost none of which I am able to reclaim. What am I doing wrong?

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Hi Paul, When using these powders I work over large plastic containers (a different one for each grade) therefore catching the run off I also keep the cleaning and rinsing water, after a short while the powders settle to the bottom of the container and I drain off the excess water and gather the powders for future use.

Mechanical devises are not always necessary; in fact all that mechanical devises do is to speed up what can be achieved manually. If you were to drip gritty water onto a stone, after a few centuries you will have a stone with a hole in it or at the very least a dent.

I do not claim that a few minutes in front of news at 10 will restore all your items but a few minutes in front of news at ten over a period of time will definitely bring results.

This kit has not been put together for the professional restorer but for the amateur who has the time and patience to restore their items.

I received the following email the other day, results can be achieved manually.

"Dear ipdglasspolishing,

Just a note to say thank you for this excellent kit. I was surprised to get the tubs, as the listing doesn't make it clear that they are included.

Do you list these kits in the "watches" section of eBay?I collect watches, and they often turn up with damaged crystals. With plain plastic crystals, it's normally easier to fir a new one, as they are cheap.Watches that use fancy shaped crystals, or mineral glass, usually need to be restored, as replacements can be difficult to find.

I've tried many of the commercial polishing agents, with limited success. I spotted your kit, and thought I'd give it a try on a modern low-domed mineral crystal which I'd already attacked with wet-or-dry and some very expensive cutting compound.

The results using your kit were amazing, just using the chamois patches by hand. Came up as good as an identical new watch!

Next time I see a crystal polishing question on a watch forum, I'll be sure to recommend your kit.

thanks Ian for your lengthy explanation, and I'm certainly an amateur but guess I don't have the patience for your methods, so prefer to use flexible drives run from mains drills to cut down the time it takes. I get enough stick as it is with glass all of the house - but think if I was sitting there watching Foyle or Midsummer Murders and rubbing away over bowls of water........well! True to say, of course, that there are many pieces of glass that defy entry by hand, and then other means need to be found to get inside them - like for example an eight or six inch extension from the drill. But I'm also now in need of a tumbler.........so if anyone can recommend one that will accommodae a decent sized Finnish vase, please let me know. thanks again.

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Hi Paul, I do make a extension for drills that fits inside decanters and slim vases, email me direct ipdglasspolishing AT fsmail DOT net and I can tell you how to make one, or I can sell you one :thup:

jazimmons

If it is of any help, I have used "ROUGE" make-up (which can be purchased from good pharmacists) which I sprinkle onto a sheet of mirror. Working in circular motions, this will also grind AND smooth small chips to the outside rim of the foot or rim of an item. A further method that I also use and swear by (to remove all manner of marks, dirt and limescale etc. inside any glass, particulary flower frogs and the likes) is good old fashioned "STERIDENT". If it's good enough for false teeth, then? I simply disolve two/three tablets into the hottest water (that I can get away with, but never boiling) and leave my vases etc. overnight. By morinng they a clean and sparking! Many a tide-mark & stain will simply vanish! Jazz

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ONE........I don't think that rouge would suit me, doesn't go with my current hair colour you know, and I find that I feel all sicky if I work in circular motions - but chips I really do like, although I'm not going to swear for any of you. And why are you washing your glass at the seaside, you're bound to get tide marks, surely Ignore my flippancy Jazz - but I think I should employ you, whereas I seem to spend hours cleaning my Sunday morning finds, you, apparently, can get the dirt to simply vanish, and get things to look 'sparking'. However, I am a great believer in leaving some history in a piece of glass. Is it essential to take away all of the distress of 80 - 100 years - I don't belong to the 'flea-biters' hate club - if something has been loved and used (like me ) then that is it's history, and if there is the odd flea bite, then that is part of the glass.P.S. sincere thanks Ian, but I do in fact have a 6" extension ( ) which goes onto the fexible drive, and which I use to reach the parts that other beers cannot clean.